


Alone, The Water Too Deep

by dreaminghour



Series: Shuffle Fics [1]
Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Cherik - Freeform, Inspired by Music, M/M, Professor X - Freeform, X-Men: First Class, magneto - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-16
Updated: 2019-07-16
Packaged: 2020-06-29 11:02:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 1,354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19828819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreaminghour/pseuds/dreaminghour
Summary: The ebb and flow between friends and enemies is constant, the mind tricks and the power feel like they can drown. But somewhere is a lighter moment, a memory of something happy and the willingness to trade something important just to regain it. But unable to figure out what that is...





	1. Behave!

**Author's Note:**

> Back in 2011, on 06/18, I put my music library on shuffle and wrote as quickly as I could while a song was playing. This is the result. You don't have to know the song or listen to it to understand these, but you might enjoy it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 81 words. Unedited vignette from 2011.

[ **Behave!** by Frightened Rabbit ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHVMGpDlm24)

* * *

Charles leaned across the small chess table and moved to check the king. Erik stilled his hand over the glass, and stopped Charles’s hand.

“Stop. Stop me.” Erik said, and parted his lips. In tandem, their mouths made wordless ideas. 

“Can’t you stop me?” Erik asked. One hand moved over his shoulder, under the shirt collar, to the nape of his neck.

“I don’t know how to behave when I’m around you,” Charles murmured, “behave...”

“Stop me.” Erik said, Charles shuddered.


	2. Floating in the Fourth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 131 words. Unedited flash vignette from 2011.

[ **Floating in the Fourth** by Frightened Rabbit ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45F1yxni2Kg)

* * *

Bridging the gap, he felt the years of anxiety melt from him. How did he do that? How did that small man make him feel like the carefree child he’d forgotten? 

Fully clothed, he would float in that sea forever, if he could. But more than once, he turned and saw Charles looking at him differently. There was peace beneath everything, and yet... those hands were not always as still and reassured as his mind was. “It’s okay,” was not always the truth.

Tremors, trembling, they were a distraction. From the mind, the lips, the strong hands that bridged a gap, focused him, brought him back to a simple place. They were floating on a sea, except sometimes Erik knew he was very much alone and the waters were too deep. 


	3. Farewell

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 123 words. Unedited flash vignette from 2011.

[ **Farewell** by Tan Dun & Yo-yo Ma ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhkpXtMerJY)

* * *

That was the moment, leaning over him in pristine waters, when Charles could have done his worst. Erik had laid the helmet to one side, and taken Charles in his arms, removed the bullet, bit the worst, prevented the fall, and yet this was it. There was nothing left. Erik had never really had any ownership over the stupid fool, delusions will be what they are, he tried to convince them both of it.

But what are words when the body has been conditioned to be something else entirely? Charles studied the crinkled eyes, and asked, “Whatever happened to staying by my side?”

“Why don’t you take a look?” Erik closed his eyes for a moment, summoning the best parts of them together.


	4. Touched

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 131 words. Unedited flash vignette from 2011.

[ **Touched** by VAST ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rpx_PcZjByY)

* * *

There was that walk once, when they hadn’t said anything, but they had quietly, mind to mind, they had compared notes.

“You’re crazy,” Erik had said, breaking their pace, and signalling an end to their silent conference. 

“You don’t understand.”

“I do.” Erik had turned back, the smaller, stronger man standing waiting for him. “You have no idea.” He smiled. “But then again, you do, don’t you?” He laughed. “I can’t read your mind, but I can look into your eyes, and I know what I see.” 

Charles had tried to break the train of thought, but Erik waved him off.

“Maybe I’m really the crazy one.” He shook his head. “When this ends, everything will be over.” He raised a hand, just slightly. “I’ll never find someone like you, again.”


	5. Strongest Man in the World

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 161 words. Unedited flash vignette from 2011.

[ **Strongest Man in the World** by Menomena ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBGeNOO3ug8)

* * *

Magneto had found him, carefully prepared himself for this moment, groomed the telepathic aide beside him to be the mirrored glass between them. But he was never ready.

The minute he felt the familiar presence, that bizarre pressure that relieved him, he felt himself caving. It had been too long, old friend, he had said.

The only response was pain. What kind?

No, not the injury, no, it was all numb anyway. All numb.

He had said it would be over. The telepath beside him shifted. He’s not strong, Charles smirked. Good enough. You know I wouldn’t try anything. It’s not time yet. They were still on the same side.

Erik wet his lips, “You know that you’re the better man.” He said aloud. Charles nodded, That's only one belief. Perhaps I do not have the courage--

He didn’t need courage, he needed fear and willpower. Charles had the courage to stand against those he loved for what was right.

“Perhaps.”


	6. Like a Sieve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 104 words. Unedited flash vignette from 2011.

[ **Like a Sieve** by My Brightest Diamond ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXeeHyz83jg)

* * *

“Do you realize.” Charles said tossing the apple into the air, “That the mind is basically running out of itself all the time.”

Erik glanced up, unamused to the musings.

“What’s your point.”

“Well, at any given moment you’re thinking many things you didn’t even consciously realize.” Charles smiled, “Thank you for the compliment, by the way.”

Erik turned his head, “What?”

“Just now, on my new suit.” Charles gave a little spin. “It isn’t exactly new, it’s just--”

“I know it isn’t new.” Erik said, turning back to the metal filings.

“But you still like it.” Charles grinned and bit into the apple.


	7. Won't Stop

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 189 words. Unedited flash vignette from 2011.

[ **Won’t Stop** by OneRepublic ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoxHoLXixkk)

* * *

“I don’t suppose I could ever convince you.” Charles said, much liking the sunshine playing through the window.

“Don’t spoil it.” Erik said, slinking back under the covers. 

“I swear my heart’s never beat like this.”

“Like this?” Hand on his chest, Erik matched his heart beat for beat.

Iron, of course. Charles smiled. Erik pressed into the warmth. Arms wound around, and there was a brief moment where they both forgot. Minds blank, they could only breathe.

“Why did I wait for you to only leave?” Charles asked. Erik had stood and was replacing the lean sweater. 

“I’m not leaving forever. Just getting coffee.” Erik winked.

“No, I mean later.” Charles lost the smile from Erik’s face.

“I won’t.” Erik said. 

“Alright.” Charles said, but the moment had left as soon as he said it.

“I suppose we should go.” They tried to linger, but Charles had said it. Erik had felt it. They had waited for it only be gone the instant it had come. Funny choice of words, Charles thought. He had never entertained hope of convincing Erik. And they both knew they could not keep.


	8. Body Burned Away

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 153 words. Unedited flash vignette from 2011.

[ **Body Burned Away** by Songs: Ohia ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ib6pUL5t8ok)

* * *

Steps turned to blackness. Curious reunion. Didn’t ever suppose he would come back like this. So different. And here they were, older, more mistrusting, more unknowing even with their wisdom. 

But no, that was then, this was different.

“I don’t suppose I could ask what it’s like?” Probing in the darkness, there were the minds again. Figures they would try to find each other.

_ Why? _

_ Is there a blinding light. _

He had no idea.

_ Then tell me. _ Erik whispered. Too late to hide his mind, he just asked. Asked the more important question.

_ No. But with everything else gone, I can admit that freely. _

_ Figures, you old fool. _

_ You know you’re really crazy. _

_ Stop. Feel my heart.  _

_ I used to have one just like it. _ There were echoes of laughter.

_ You know, it will be like this one day for me, too. _

_ Yes, I’ll wait for you. _

But won’t he just leave again?


	9. Breathe In

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 141 words. Unedited flash vignette from 2011.

[ **Breathe In** by Frou Frou ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPqyWkNlDTk)

* * *

This was it. Finally, peeled away from the memory, he had just been. And there it was, and then it was there. Or had it always been?

“I’m good.” Charles had grinned, a rare moment of pleasure in their talents.

“Are you sure?” Charles’s eyes had flickered over Erik’s mind and read something else there, the laugh caught in his throat and his hand had hovered unsure.

“Why are you unsure?” Erik had stepped forward, “Don’t I make it clear?”

Deep breath into the smell of him, oh, that was definitely what he had seen. But it didn’t end there, a kiss doesn’t go nowhere, the thoughts that were now pouring into his mind pushed him further. Hands caught in a steely grip, chest pushed against cliches. And then more images.

“Alright, I get it.” Charles broke away. “Let’s go inside.”


	10. Kate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 89 words. Unedited flash vignette from 2011.

[ **Kate** by Ben Folds Five ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7BUG8LOd8A)

* * *

Alright. Fine, if he was going to directly go against... well, as previous thoughts would indicate, this was a surprise. Charles rushed around the last corner, and confronted an empty salon.

“Thought so.” Erik said smugly.

Everything translated.

“Oh.” He blushed, stopped, and composed himself.

“That was the point.” There was no housemaid, there was only this trap.

But, ah, that was alright too. Warm hands in his hair, and something fluttered in the abdomen... Yes, this was definitely a trap.

“Good to see you, too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow. I remember how tired I was by the end of this drabble marathon. I missing doing things like this, I'll try this again sometime soon. Probably with different characters.


End file.
